Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-25
BOBBY'S ADVENTURE.

Arkansas river about two miles from Little
Rock. Some years ago there dwelt family
of Malcolm Grey, his wife and one
non. u wears OF age, named Robert. They
had one slave named Sam. For short the
boy was called Bobby. One day in August,
Bobby, who had been to visit his uncle Job
Sackett, started on his homeward way. He |
had to pass through a stretch of forest un- |
broken for eight miles, He left his uncle's |
house about o'clock. II was beautiful |
afternoon, the rays of the sun had heated the |
forest, making it uncomfortably hot. The |
boy proceeded on, whIstling merry tune, |
anon stopping to try the virtue of his new
jackkaife, given him by his Aunt Polly.
The paroouets fitted through the openings
in the forest, or rested, dozen or more at a
time, on some dry limb, projecting from the
trunk of some aged pecan tree, chattering
and twittering at Bobby us he halted to look
up at them far above his head. They did not
seem to fear him in the least, but turned
their little heads sideways and looked DOWN
wards with inquisltive eyes at the boy, as If
wondering why he did not proceed on his
journey and leave them to settle down on
their perch, apparently their resting place
for the night.
Bobby trudged joyously on after satisfying
his curiosity, laughing gleefully to himself,
and bidding the paroquets good night, which
the little creatures acknowledged by ruffiing
their plumage and keeping up a ceaseless
chattering until distance put an end to the
sound and turn in the cart path hid them
from view The dusky shades Of night began
to fall and filled the forest with somber
shadows. The little fellow quickened his
pace that he might be able to get out of the
woods before night set in in earnest 1t grew
dark very fast and objects could be discerned
only little way in advance. Bobby herried
on, but the accompaniment, the merry
whistle, had ceased, and he walked silently
eheed, frequently stopping to listen to some
unusual sound reverberatng through the
forest, falling limb from some aged tree,
perhaps; Bobby's heart quickened its pulses
at the sound, and he jumped nervously aside
as some night bird few in close proximity to
his fare with whirring wings. He was not a
coward; he had been in the forest before,
and he had been startled by similar sounds,
and he did not apprehend any danger unless
by some wild beast lurking around, which
was not likely, he thought, as none had been
seen in the forest for a number of days, hay
ing been driven across the river by the hun
tiers and their dogs.
The owls commenced to hoos, to-hoo, to-
hoo The katydids uttered their mournful
lay, Katy did, Katy didn't; and Bobby toiled
on, more slowly now because Of the increas-
ing darkness Suddenly there came a sound
from the forest in the direction he had but
recently passed over He stopped irresolute,
as if his first thought was to flee; he listened
with fast beating heart. In moment it
came again, seemingly nearer than before,
and long drawn out: "Ooh-ou -ooh-ou-
our
Bobby did not wait for a repetition of the
blood curdling cry, but turned and fed in the
direction OF the clearing, which was now near
st hand; terror lent strength to his sturdy
little legs, and he picked his feet up and put
them down faster than he ever did playing
Il spy" with the boys at "Red Fork" He
reached the edge of the forest in an incredi-
bly, short time, regarding the distance he had
70 run-a little over mile. He bounded into
the clearing, and, after short run, discov-
cred cabin, which had been formerly occu-
pied by the slaves when engaged in burning
the logs of the fallen trees on the cleared
land
As he ran quickly toward it, he was star
tied again by that fearful cry "ooh-ou-ou-
ooh-ou-ou,n resembling the shrill voice of a
frightened child
Bobby had lived too long near the forest to
be mistaken in the terrible cry, and he fed
UPWARDS, In mortal terror, to find place OF
safety. Dashing breathlessly up to the cabin,
through the underbrush, he discovered it in a
state of decay, the door off its hinges and
held only by the leathern deer thongs which
had been their former fastenings.
Evidently there was no safety for the boy
there so thought Bobby as he looked in dis
may in the darkness around him. Stumbling
through the underbrush he came across a halt
Of a hogshead turned upon its side; it had evil
IDENTIFY been used by the former occupants OF
the cabin TO catch rain water The thought
struck him at once that this was his only
chance of safety from the pursuing brute
whose howls he now heard in close proximity
apparently at the edge of the forest. Grasp
ing the huge tub firmly by its edge Re essayet
20 end it over towards him, but as il had lain
long time exposed to all weathers and
D1 idlliLuILS IL Ltul uttDlilt
and it was only after repeated efforts, tht
bowls of the animal approaching nearer and
nearer all the while, that he could move thu
thing.
Terror lent him strength again, however
and he succeeded in pulling it over partially
and squatting himself beneath the opening a
he held it tipped partly over he finally let e
with his hands and the hogshead came dow
with thud; and for the time being he wa
safely ensconced beneath it; none too soon
for as it came down encompassing him il
Egyptian darkness, he heard a scratching out
side his prison house, then shifting rount
the edge of the upturned tub, and he knew
that his foe had tracked him and scented gu
his hiding place.
The brute ran round and round the tub il
circle, shifting and growing, the feti,
steam from the creatures breath entered be
meath the tub where it had lodged On som
small shrubs and it made Bobby sick wit
the sitting stencil. Nothing daunted, how
ever, at this state of the siege, Bobby b.
thought him of his new jackknife; drawing
forth from his pocket and opening the bladi
he cut the twigs away that bent some insid
his Enclosure and sonle outside, and the tn
rested more evenly and firmly on the grount
The stir within caused by the rustling Bobb
made as he pulled and pushed at the loppin
twigs aroused the brute's ierce anger, and /
redoubled his attempts to get in, diggin
around the edges of the tub
Bobby trembled in alright as the amin
scratched and tore at the obstruction proven
ing his entrance, and he shouted at interva
with all his might in hopes that some OF
would hear and come to his assistance, b.
the sound of his voice was smothered in Il
confines OF the hogshead and Only caused Il
brute to desist from digging awhile at Il
cries, but continued to dig again as soon
Bobby ceased to shout.
de soon made an opening large enough
admit one paw, which as soon as thrust !
the aperture, received a stab from Bobby
sharp blade, aimed at random, guided onl
by the sound of the animals movements.
was withdrawn with a howl Of pain an
anger, but be soon commenced again, ute
ing angry growls as he bit and tore at ii
roots and shrubs Again and again, as tt
brute thrust Ill his paw under the rim of IL
tub, the brave little fellow used his knit
with effect. The animal finally enlarged IL
hoie SO that 1t would admit his head, and Il
strong odor OF his breath filled the inside
bobbys retreat and almost smothered hin
he made thrust with his knife, but Il
brute quickly Withdrew his head, SO that tt
blow did not take effect Becoming embol,
ened, the brute thrust his head still furths
In and turned upon his side in his endeayo,
70 wiSgle his shoulder in also. Bobby.
feeling around inside the tub, had found
stopper, or bung that protruded through I'll
bung hole; to this he now chung with hot
hands with all his might and forced the ede
of the tub down on the nack nf Tho or;,--s